Maharashtra government will set up detention centers for foreign nationals indulging in drug peddling, overstaying their visa limit and committing petty crimes to evade deportation, DCM Devendra Fadnavis told the assembly during question hour on Tuesday.
The government has also decided to appoint Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) as the nodal agency to control the distribution of the banned drugs, he said responding to a question raised by NCP member Rohit Pawar.
Zero tolerance to drug peddlers
Drug peddlers have been using newer methods and means in spreading their network and increase sales. Hence, we have requested the central government to make legislation in this regard very stringent. Also, the permissible limits too need to be brought down. We have also decided that if any police official is found to be involved in drug peddling they will be immediately dismissed from the services, Fadnavis said while responding to supplementary queries.
The chemist shops have already been instructed not to sell any medicines with Codin as its ingredient. Bringing the shops under CCTV surveillance, too, has been made mandatory for them, Fadnavis added.
Foreign nationals involved in drug-peddling
“We have noticed that some Nigerians as well as other foreign nationals are involved in the supply of narcotics drugs. They overstay violating the visa norms. To avoid deportation for such violation, they indulge in petty crimes and manage to stay here longer,” said Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister.
Foreign nationals to be kept under watch
“To prevent such practices, the Maharashtra government has decided to set up detention centers where these foreign nationals will be kept until their deportation. We have also decided to appoint the ATS as the nodal agency to control the distribution of drugs,” he said.
Commenting on drug transportation via containers at ports, Fadnavis said the Union as well as state governments have tightened security at the borders, putting a check on the supply of such banned drugs.
Hence, the suppliers have started using containers to transport drugs in large quantities, he said.
“It is true that ports like Mundra and JNPT have reported supply of drugs under the name of something else. The process of procurement of hi-tech scanners is going on. These scanners will be able to detect the banned substances,” he added.
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